Smokers&#39; ash receptacle



Nov. 15, 1966 M. BERLINER 3,285,463

SMOKERS ASH REGEPTACLE Filed May 14, 1965 FIG.1

INVENTOR.

MARTIN BERLINER JOHN P. CHANDLER HIS ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,285,463 SMOKERS ASH RECEPTACLE Martin Berliner, Forest Hills, N .Y. (100 Water St., Brooklyn, N.Y.) Filed May 14, 1965, Ser. No. 455,933 3 Claims. (1. 22020.5)

This invention relates to an ash receiver with a self closing, self centering closure plate mounted in floating relation at the upper end of a wire spring, laid up in a spiial, so as to have resiliency in the line of its axis either by condensation or extension.

The spring mounting means for the closure plate of the present invention which is mounted in substantial floating relation within an opening in a top plate for a receptacle, enables the closure plate to have a hermetic seal with relation to the top plate while having a delicate and responsive opening action caused by pressing one side of the down plate downwardly, and a fast return to closed position when the pressure is released.

By forming the closure plate with a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the top plate opening and proportioning the spring to cause the closure plate to lightly engage the annular sea-t formed by a downwardly and outwardly disposed curved flange around the opening, the closure plate, though having a floating action, is centered and closed except when it is purposely disposed to deposit ashes in the receptacle. In other words, this floating action of the closure plate is only lightly restrained by the rim of the top plate opening and in a modified form of the invention the top plate opening is made slightly larger than the closure plate diameter so there is no restraint to this floating action.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section taken through an ash receiver embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof; and

FIG. 3 shows the floating closure plate in tilted position and an alternative spring mounting means.

An ash receptacle of the present invention includes bowl 10, having an annular vertical side wall 12, and a removable top plate 14. The top plate has an annular side wall 16 which is secured to the upper rim of side wall 11 by a bayonet joint or other locking means 17. The top plate also has a central opening 18 at the lower end of a downwardly inclined annular surface 19. The top plate also has a plurality of radial recesses20 to receive cigarettes or the like. The inner rim of the annular recess is defined by an inwardly turned curved flange 22.

A circular, dome-shaped closure plate 24 has a curved peripheral flange 27 and its diameter is slightly in excess of the diameter of top plate opening 18 so that when the closure plate is centered as is shown in FIG. 1, there is a substantially hermetic seal between the closure plate and the top plate. The closure plate is supportetd by a coiled compression spring 26 wherein the convolutions are relatively widely spaced and the spring is mounted at its lower end in a central boss 28. A rivet 28 secures the spring 26 to the base wall of the receptacle and a screw 29 passes upwardly through a central opening in the closure plate to secure a finger piece 30 which also may be used as an anvil for knocking the pipe bowl to loosen spent tobac- "ice co. The screw has a head 32 mounted in force-fit relation in the upper end of the spring.

In the modified arrangement of FIG. 3, the spring 36 mounted on face 38 of the receptacle 40 is wound with the convolutions in substantially contiguous relation with each other so that it has no substantial resiliency in the line of its axis and in this instance the closure plate 41 has an external diameter defined by an annular flange 42 which is slightly less in diameter than the annular flange 44- defining the central opening in top plate 46. 48 is a cap or anvil of cork or other material. There is shown in broken lines in this figure the position of the closure plate when it has been depressed on one side while in broken lines there is shown the closed position of the closure platef The close winding of the spring facilitates the fast return of the closure plate and the self-centering action. A spring of this type cannot be condemned to any marked degree so that it provides a firm support when a pipe is knocked against the cap 48.

In this embodiment the spring and closure plate exert no substantial upward pressure on the top plate so no bayonet or other fastening means of the latter is required.

While there have been described herewith what are at present considered preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the essence of the invention. It is therefore to be understood that the exemplary embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive of the invention, the scope of which-is defined in the appended claims, and that all modifications that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be included therein.

What I claim is:

1. A self-closing ash receptacle including a bowl provided with base and with a top plate having a wide circular opening therein, and a self-centering closure plate of dome-shaped contour snugly fitted within the opening and normally positioned therein in closed relation, a vertical spring laid up in a spiral and mounted centrally of the base of the bowl, and means for mounting the closure plate at the top of the spring, the spiral spring being of sufficient rigidity to retain the closure plate substantially centered with respect to the top plate opening, the spring providing the sole support for said closure plate and providing all of its self-centering action for the plate.

2. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein the closure plate is of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the opening in the top plate.

3. The structure recited in claim 1 wherein the closure plate is of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of the opening in the top plate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,893,704 1/1933 Hyatt 22020.5 2,019,227 10/ 1935 Jasper 220-205 2,260,507 10/ 1941 Campbell 22020.5

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

JAMES B. MARBERT, Examiner. 

1. A SELF-CLOSING ASH RECEPTACLE INCLUDING A BOWL PROVIDED WITH BASE AND WITH A TOP PLATE HAVING A WIDE CIRCULAR OPENING THEREIN, AND A SELF-CENTERING CLOSURE PLATE OF DOME-SHAPED CONTOUR SNUGLY FITTED WITHIN THE OPENING AND NORMALLY POSITIONED THEREIN IN CLOSED RELATION, A VERTICAL SPRING LAID UP IN A SPIRAL AND MOUNTED CENTRALLY OF THE BASE OF THE BOWL, AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING THE CLOSURE PLATE AT THE TOP OF THE SPRING, THE SPIRAL SPRING BEING OF SUFFICEINT RIGIDITY TO RETAIN THE CLOSURE PLATE SUBSTANTIALLY CENTERED WITH RESPECT TO THE TOP PLATE OPENING, THE SPRING PROVIDING THE SOLE SUPPORT FOR SAID CLOSURE PLATE AND PROVIDING ALL OF ITS SELF-CENTERING ACTION FOR THE PLATE. 